Child Marriage 101
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Annaborgia (Unpublished)
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2016/08/22
Child marriage is a union prior to the age of 18. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), it is a human rights violation. There are laws against its existence. However, gender inequality and persistent poverty contribute to the continued existence of child marriage.
Within developed countries, this is less of an issue or concern. Within developing countries, one in three girls is married before the age of 18 and 29 prior to the age of 15. This practice harms the health and livelihood of girls in addition to their future prospects.
If this is within the context of developing countries, as it is, then this can be a problem for economic security, educational attainment, and social status. If this continues without intervention or instantiation of the rights, then this can be repeated from generation to generation.
Many girls entering child marriage are becoming pregnant while still adolescents, which in the developing countries or as adolescents can create complications for childbirth in addition to the pregnancy. With these in mind, the contributions of poverty and premature pregnancy and childbirth create one of the leading causes of death in developing countries for some adolescents.
The UNFPA supports an evidence-based perspective in addition to the investment into girls through things such as appropriate information, skills and services, and assisting them in reaching a healthy transition into adulthood. A major part of this will include maternal health and family planning.
Child marriage needs to stop.
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